Can cheese be frozen? Freezing rules, shelf life, how to defrost?

Useful tips

Cheese is a product that is eaten fresh

to fully experience its texture and taste, but sometimes, if you buy too much cheese, it becomes difficult to store it for a long time.

Freezing is an ancient method of increasing the shelf life of food and has been used for over 3,000 years.

This method allows products not to spoil for a long time, thus reducing the amount of waste and saving money.

However, before freezing cheese, you need to figure out how to do it correctly.

General rules for freezing cheeses

Storing cheese in the freezer is used if a lot of product has accumulated, and it is clear that it will not be possible to consume it on time. The frozen product can be stored for a long time, and you will always have grated or chopped cheese on hand, which is convenient to use when cooking.

You can put different types of cheese in the freezer for storage. But there are rules common to all types of product.

The main feature of cheese freezing is the dependence of the reaction to low temperatures on the density of the product. The harder the structure of the cheese, the easier it tolerates freezing. Hard and semi-hard varieties practically do not change their taste after defrosting, but become even harder.

General rules for freezing:

Place only small pieces of cheese in the freezer. The approximate size of the slices is 500 g.
To make cooking easier, cut the cheese into cubes. Then you won’t have to worry about cutting frozen pieces.
Thaw the cheese in stages. Move it from the freezer to the refrigerator for an hour or two, and only then defrost it outside the refrigerator.
Use milk. To eliminate excessive dryness, place the thawed pieces in cooled milk for 10-15 minutes. The moisture will be absorbed into the cheese structure and the product will return to its original form.
Cut correctly. Make the cheese pieces so that after defrosting you can use them within a week. Then the product begins to rapidly deteriorate.
There are cheeses for which freezing is strictly contraindicated. These are products prepared without fermentation. After freezing, such cheeses turn into curd mass. Cheeses that should not be frozen are:

home cooked;
soft and semi-soft;
with mold;
spoiled and expired.

The maximum storage time for cheese in the freezer is six months. Grated cheese and slices are stored for no more than 3 months, since after this period, the finely chopped product dries out.
Use stickers. Label pieces of cheese with the storage date so you don't miss the expiration date.
For freezing, you can use bags and parchment.

Cheeses with mold cannot be frozen, as mold microorganisms die at subzero temperatures.

Soft cheeses, when defrosted, lose a lot of liquid, acquire a grainy structure, and their taste deteriorates catastrophically.

What happens if you freeze cheese incorrectly?

If you store cheese incorrectly, it is very easy to spoil it. Improper freezing can also result in cheese spoilage.

Mistakes when freezing cheese:

if you wrap cheese in cling film, it may acquire an unpleasant plastic taste;
By storing large pieces of cheese, you will defrost them entirely, and if you do not have time to eat all the cheese in a few days, you will have to throw away the unused remainder;
if you are going to use cheese for making pizza and other dishes, grate/cut it immediately, otherwise you will have to spend a long time cutting it;
Do not store cheese in the freezer for longer than allowed; it will become too dry and its taste will deteriorate.

Proper freezing of different types

The procedure and principles for storing different cheeses in the freezer have much in common. There are only small nuances related to the structure and other features of this product.

Hard cheeses

Cheeses with a dense structure store better than other varieties. It is more profitable to pre-grind the product in one way or another - grate or cut into cubes. In this form, the product will be convenient to use for preparing pizza, baked goods, and other dishes.

Do not defrost cheese in the microwave. It will melt in it and lose all its beneficial properties.

Hard cheeses include Armenian Chanakh, Romano, Emmental, Maasdam and others. To make your task easier, buy cheese for freezing in vacuum packaging, then the process will be simplified as much as possible - you just throw the product into the freezer.

Parmesan

This Italian cheese is made from cow's milk and has a rich taste and aroma. After defrosting it does not crumble. Parmesan can be stored at -20°C for at least 2 months.

Don't put Parmesan in the corner of the freezer so you don't forget about it. Other products may block it, and you may simply not see the package of cheese.

Processed cheeses

Spreadable cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time without compromising its consumer properties. Their shelf life, thanks to freezing, increases from 8-10 days to 3-4 months.

Processed cheeses are the most finicky. When thawed, they lose their presentation. It is used only for spreading toast and sandwiches. Cutting it into cubes will not work.

Suluguni

Suluguni is a cheese with a sour milk taste, moderately salty. Its consistency is thick. This is a layered and elastic cheese.

Before freezing suluguni, soak it in 20% brine. Or in serum. When the cheese structures absorb the liquid, drain the remaining liquid and pack it in an airtight container. Other pickled cheeses are frozen using the same scheme.

Adyghe cheese

This product belongs to the group of curd cheeses. He is able to adapt to frost. But the minimum freezing temperature is limited to -5°C. With this mode, the cheese retains its structure and other properties for 2 months.

Mozzarella

This young cheese, prepared according to an Italian recipe, can be stored in the freezer for the same amount of time as any other curd cheese - about 3 months. It is better not to unpack Mozzarella before storing it - it is better stored in an airtight container.

Similar to Mozzarella - in industrial packaging, Mascarpone, Philadelphia, Ricotta and Camembert are stored.

Cremette

This cream cheese is usually used to make creams. To provide themselves with an important ingredient and pay wholesale prices, many pastry chefs purchase large quantities of cremette. And to preserve it longer, they put it in freezers.

How to freeze cremette:

Place the cheese in vacuum bags.
Place the cremette in the freezer, placing the bags in a single layer.
To ensure that the product freezes quickly, turn on the maximum cold setting.
When the cheese is frozen, place the vacuum sealed bags into one large bag and seal it.

Almost all types of cream cheeses separate after defrosting. In this form they are only suitable for sauces, salads, and cheesecakes. Beat the defrosted cremette with a blender. It can be used in cooking, but not for creams. Some cream cheeses are able to return to their original consistency.

Dutch

There are many varieties and varieties of Dutch cheeses. The most popular are Gouda and Edam. Cheese lovers also appreciate Maasdam for its appetizing perforated structure.

Dutch cheeses with holes do not store well. It is recommended to freeze only varieties with a dense, hole-free structure.

How to freeze Dutch cheese:

Cut the cheese into portions, for example, 150-200 g - as much as you may need.
Wrap each piece in paper, and then put it in a bag and then in the freezer.

Camembert

This cheese has a moist and chewy center. Camembert resembles Brie, but is more difficult to freeze. While the cheese is ripening, it contains live fungi. But once they get into the freezer, they die. The cheese loses its unique taste.

Blast freezing helps to avoid loss of the taste of Camembert. There are freezers in which you can enable a similar function. The temperature should not be higher than -20°C.

Hochland

Hochland is a processed cheese and is frozen according to the same freezing rules. The main thing is not to freeze foods that contain perishable additives.

Hochland freezing procedure:

Remove the cheese triangles from the packaging.
Place them in the freezer for 2 hours. Turn on the coldest setting possible.
Place the frozen triangles in a large bag, seal it, and place it back in the freezer.

Hochland cheese slices are frozen in a similar way - first they freeze them, scattering them around the freezer, and then put them in airtight packaging.

How to freeze grated cheese?

Many people have come across grated hard cheese in stores. If grocery chains see that cheese may lose taste due to its expiration date, it is “shaved.”

The grated cheese is placed in separate containers, vacuum-packed, and frozen. The product can be stored for several more months, but if it had remained in the form of a piece or a head, it would have long ago been “released” as an expired product.

Housewives can use this trick. Firstly, you can extend the shelf life of the cheese, and secondly, you will have ready-made cheese topping on hand for baking and various dishes that contain grated cheese as an ingredient.

Procedure for freezing grated cheese:

Using a food processor or a classic coarse grater, grind the hard cheese. The chips should be large enough - there is no point in grinding the product into a mushy mass.
Place the cheese shavings in a ziplock bag. There should be enough cheese to leave about 6-7 cm to the edge.
Seal the bag so that there is no air inside. Write the date of bookmarking on the bag.

Another advantage of grated cheese is that it saves space in the freezer so that the product takes up minimal space.

Let's sum it up

Freezing cheese will dramatically reduce waste and extend the shelf life of the product. It cannot be ruled out that as a result of freezing the cheese will become more crumbly, dry and mealy. Industrially produced cheeses, especially high-fat cheeses such as cheddar, are more suitable for freezing than delicate, handmade varieties.

It is unlikely that anyone will argue with the statement that cheese is best used fresh. Only in this case will you be able to appreciate its taste and aroma. That being said, freezing can be an excellent storage method: it’s always convenient to keep some cheeses on hand for use in cooking. For example, if you have unexpected guests, you can quickly prepare delicious pizza.

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Freezing in cubes or bars

To freeze cheese into cubes/blocks, you will need a sharp knife, parchment or a piece of food foil, and special vacuum bags.

Cut the cheese into pieces. Please note that the smaller the cubes, the shorter their shelf life. So don't be shallow. Cut into pieces that you can use at a time, or that are enough to prepare 1-2 dishes.
Wrap the slices individually in parchment. It is advisable to also wrap them with foil paper on top - so that the product retains its taste properties as much as possible.
Place the cheese wrapped in paper in bags - this will prevent the cheese from sticking to the internal surfaces of the freezer.

Don't forget to write the storage date on the container.

Product preparation

It is very important to properly prepare cheese for freezing. Divide it into portions suitable for single use. For large block cheeses such as cheddar, the serving should be no more than 500 grams. You can grate it or cut it into thin slices before freezing.

The cheese can be stored in its store-bought packaging or wrapped in cheese paper or foil. It is advisable to place the slices of the chopped product with parchment. Place the prepared cheese in an airtight ziplock bag or plastic container. This will prevent dry air from entering it.

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Cheese without defrosting

By freezing cheese, you can not only increase its shelf life, but also simplify and shorten culinary processes. This becomes possible if unfrozen cheese is used during cooking.

If you expect to save time on defrosting, store chopped cheese, preferably grated. You can add it to dishes, ready-made and semi-ready dishes without defrosting.

Not defrosted cheese is added to:

pizza;
soups;
casseroles;
minced meat for meatballs and cutlets.

What to do with leftover cream cheese after cooking

If after cooking you have cream cheese left and following my advice, you do not resort to freezing the finished cream. The leftover cream cheese can be used to prepare various desserts or even breakfasts. For example, you can make a small batch of trifles or make a small batch of cheesecake. And in the morning, prepare some delicious sandwiches with aromatic cream cheese. Creamy soup or sauce complements cream cheese perfectly.

Cream cheese is a delicious and light cheese that can be used as a topping for snacks and as a key ingredient in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. The finished cream can also be frozen when used as an ingredient where texture is not important. Before preparing cream cheese, be sure to use proven recipes, calculate the amount of cream for assembling the dessert in order to reduce the amount of cream left to a minimum.